This project is a true privilege, as we celebrate Rotary International’s Birthday.

Our Club visits new Mums and Dads in the Women’s and Children’s Hospital (WCH) to present their newborn baby with their first book to celebrate Rotary’s passion to improve literacy worldwide.

Thanks to the WCH Public Relations Dept, who co-ordinate the project with us and accompany our members into parents’ rooms. It's a case of ‘Access All Areas’.

We start by visiting the post-natal ward, moving on to Rose Ward for very sick babies, then into the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) and finally the Special Care Baby Unit (SCBU), a ward dedicated to that final step before a sick baby can go home.

Mums and Dads alike are always most appreciative of their gift of Mem Fox’s Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes and of the reason behind the gift.

The insert we place at the back of the book helps them to remember the occasion and record their child’s name / date of birth. Where there are twins, each baby is presented with their own book.

For all the joy of this project, we witness the sadness in the eyes of parents with young babies who barely cling to life in intensive care. At their most stressful of times, they welcome Rotary into their lives to accept these books as a sign of hope for the future.

On leaving these units, we are often shown photographs of happy, healthy children who had once been cared for at the Women's and Children's Hospital's amazing doctors and nurses.

Post Script

Special Care Baby Unit (SCBU) is a 35 bed unit caring for babies needing short and long term observation and specialised (Level 4-5) care born either at the WCH or elsewhere in South Australia, the Northern Territory, western Victoria and the far west of New South Wales.

Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) is a 14 bed unit responsible for the provision of carefor babies in need of intensive (Level 6) care bornat the WCH, elsewhere in South Australia,the Northern Territory, Western Victoriaand the far west of New South Wales.
Rose WardA 17 bed medical/surgical ward thatprimarily looks after babies frombirth to 12 months.